NCIS & The Little Match Girl
by Leonora Chris
Summary: What happens when one cold winter night teenager Tony finds a young girl on the street? Trying to sell matches. He decides to help the girl find her parents. And why does she trust him so easily? Part of my Once Upon A Time: Anthony D. DiNozzo series.
1. The Famous First Words

_**(I don't own NCIS or the characters etc from it. I also don't own the original fairytales. Only the stories are mine.)**_

**EDIT:**_** I decided to upload these stories as completely separate from now on and cut the long stories into chapters. So maybe it'll make reading easier for people... As a plus, people get to choose which story they put in their favorites and so on.  
**_

_**EDIT2: The whole idea of these series is looking at NCIS and then some well known fairytale (which usually have plenty of versions and are up on the internet as well...) and then creating another story out of that. Which has nothing to do with the original fairytale... So as far I can see, no crossovers there... No teddy bears and such from the fairytales for example...**_

**So... I've been wanting to do this longer than my first story in here...  
**

**I won't be writing almost straight copies of fairytales with the NCIS characters in it. Instead, I'll take the original story, the characters from the show, stir and make another story out of that. So sometimes the end results might not be like a fairytale at all... And I mean _at all_. It can become something completely different... I don't even know yet... If you want obvious 'NCIS in fairytale' stories, feel free to write those, I'll most likely read them, happily. Hopefully I'll manage to make something good enough...**

**If I really get in the mood, I might even write sequel/prequel etc stories as well. I'll be more likely to do so if people want that. Or I might even write different versions, with different ideas.  
**

**Feel free to throw in your own fairytale ideas, although I already have a list of my own made already... It's still good to know what other people like and if I've forgotten some good ones.**

**There will be ZERO Tiva. There's enough to _drown_ in them around here already... No offence to all the Tiva/Ziva lovers... Just not my thing.  
**

**Feel free to let me know what you think, both this idea and my stories to come.**

_**Leo**_


	2. Part 1

**If anyone can speak/write Spanish fluently, I'd be glad to have the Spanish conversations translated... **

**It's cold and I'm freezing in here. Which makes this one perfect to write next. So it's the story of The Little Match Girl which I chose. One of my all time favorites ever. Loved it as a little kid and I still like it. Despite the awfully sad, but realistic, end... I promise the ending of this one won't be the same.  
**

_**Oh man... I have no idea how I ended up from the beginning of the story to how it ends...**_

_**Leo**_

* * *

**- PART 1 -**

"Merry christmas! See you next week!"

"You too! Drive safely!"

Leaning against the building's wall, a young man listened to the cheerful chatter between the people coming and going from the stores there. People doing their last minute christmas preparations. All happy smiles and faces. Hands full of gifts and other stuff that the big companies were brainwashing people to buy.

He himself never wasted his time for that day. It was just that. A waste of time, waste of money and waste of everything. It was rich people's party time. Which was ironic as he was supposed to be one of them.

Taking out a cigarette, he lights it up. Smoking was a bad habit and he mostly did it because he knew how much it pissed off his father. The man who himself could do whatever the h*ll he wanted. Drink, party, waste the money which was nothing but dirty blood money, fool around with women and anything and more what his sick mind could think of.

Seeing fully tattooed man walking by, he chuckled. Maybe he should get a tattoo next? That would surely give the old man a heart attack. He could already hear the yelling. '_Junior! What have you done!? You're disgracing your family name, Anthony!_' Yeah. That would make his day. Maybe then he could finally be free from the DiNozzo name...

His gaze wandered to the street musician. Playing a happy christmas tune with his guitar and singing with a gleeful voice. He wondered if he was the only one hearing the sadness and loneliness behind the smiles and happiness.

Pulling the jacket tighter around himself, he wondered if the man had any place to go to for the night. It was already freezing cold. If hell would be cold instead of hot, he'd imagine this winter was going to be pretty close to it. The people kept saying that it was going to be the coldest winter ever. For the sake of that man, he really hoped everyone were wrong.

Digging around his pocket, he finally pulled out his wallet. Old and worn. Not the kind which his father approved of, but he loved it. Taking out some money, he put it back and walked past the man, dropping the money in the old worn hat on the ground. From the corner of his eyes he could see it was already holding some money there. Mostly coins and... was that some hamburger wrapping..? Shaking his head at whoever had throw it in there, he walked away. Feeling angry. Some people really should not have been given the good life which they had...

It was getting dark by the time he finally stopped walking. There were less people around and he knew he should also go back home, but he didn't want to. Couldn't stand dealing with another party with his drunk father and his friends who were just like him.

Taking out another cigarette, he was lighting it up, when his eyes spotted small girl wandering on the street.

The child couldn't be more than ten years old. The clothes which she was wearing, could not possibly be keeping her warm. The slightly torn summer dress which barely covered her knees and the summer jacket which she was wearing, was rather useless in the cold winter night. On her small feet there were pair of sneakers and he couldn't see any socks.

The cigarette now forgotten in his mouth, he frowned. Completely frozen to the spot, he watched as the people walked by. No one paying any attention to the young child almost begging for attention.

After a while observing, he realized she was actually trying to sell something. A box of matches? Several boxes actually, he realized. Noticing the small and badly worn shopping bag full of those.

"What the..?" He muttered. He could swear the scene reminded him of some story his nanny used to read him long time ago. It made him shiver and then he became angry. All those adults. Walking around with their family or to their family waiting at home. And what about that nicely dressed street preacher not too far from the girl? Preaching about this and preaching about that, yet when the small girl says something to the man, he tells her to not bother her. He's got important work to do.

_What a hypocrite_... Tony, which was how he liked to be called as, seethed and observed some more.

Suddenly completely drawn by the story being told in front of his eyes, he suddenly seemed to notice everything.

There walked young woman. Dressed in her designer clothes and carrying her designer handbag. Dropping few coins in the box the Red Cross guy was holding.

Couple of teenagers walked by. Laughing at some reality TV show they had seen the day before.

Busy looking business man was running by, almost running over the little girl and that's when Tony finally snapped. Walking to the man, he grabbed him by arm and yanked back before he had the chance to run away.

"The h*ll is wrong with you!?" He yelled. Getting not only the man's but everyone else's attention.

"What's wrong with _me_? What's wrong with _you_!? Let go of me you hooligan or I'll call the cops! I'm busy!"

Tony saw red. Holding his cigarette in his other hand, he pointed towards the big eyed girl, now staring at them. "Apologize to her!"

"What for?" The man was genuinely confused and Tony was momentarily taken aback by it that his hold on the man's arm loosened enough for the man to get free and escape from the scene.

"Kids these days..." One of the people was heard muttering and after that the city life was back to how it was before. As if nothing had happened.

The world kept moving around the two people now staring at each other. The time stood still as the young man and little girl stared at each other.

Seeing how the child was shivering from cold and maybe even fear, Tony crouched down so he would be less threatening. He was surprised how instead of being scared of him, the girl reached out her small hand and then took off the cigarette from his mouth and dropped it in the snow.

"It's bad for your health..." She shrugged her skinny shoulders. All Tony could do was stare and then admire her guts, which she obviously had.

"I guess you're right..." He smiled and she returned it.

"You look cold." Tony said and then took off his jacket and put it on the girl, who grinned happily.

"It's too big." She said the obvious and Tony chuckled.

"Are you lost? Where are your parents?"

Her smile vanished and her lower lip started trembling as she moved her gaze down.

"Hey... It's okay... I'll help you find them. What do you say?" Tony said and then horrible thought came to him. What if she didn't have any parents..?

"Thank you..." She spoke finally and took Tony's bigger hand in hers.

He swallowed. "You know, you shouldn't trust strangers that easily, kid..."

She smiled at him. "It's okay. I know I can trust you."

"And why's that?"

"My gut tells me so."

"Your gut huh?" Tony chuckled again. The kid was so d*mn funny.

"Alright... Let's go to someplace warmer and get some rest and food. Tomorrow morning we will start looking for your family. How does that sound?"

"Okay..." She nods and Tony hesitates for a moment, until the child wraps her arms around his neck.

Almost shaking his head at the trust, Tony lifted the girl up from the ground. With both the child and the shopping bag in his arms now, he started walking away.

It was in the middle of the huge shopping center and next to the street lamp where he had found her and never would he forget it.

"What's your name, kid?" He suddenly asked. Realizing he couldn't just keep on calling her 'kid'.

"Kelly..."

"Kelly, huh? That's a nice name... I'm Tony..."

* * *

Stepping inside the bigger than life house, Tony avoided meeting up with anyone as he moved towards his own room. It wasn't such a hard thing to do as his father had obviously taken early start with his christmas party. A party which would last for days, as it always did. If the noise coming from the other side of the house was anything to go by.

Although he had tried keeping Kelly awake, the child had finally fallen asleep on the way and he was alarmed by how cold she felt.

Walking into his room, he closed the door and was glad that the noise didn't reach that part of the building. It was the only thing he liked about his room. When he needed the quiet in the house, this was usually where he got it.

Laying the small child on his huge canopy bed, Tony took out his phone and called their family doctor. He was worried and couldn't take any chances of not doing something right.

"Come on, Kelly... Wake up... I didn't save you from there just so you can die on me now..." He spoke softly while at the same time worked on trying to get her to warm up.

He had just finished preparing hot bath when a servant brought the doctor in the room. He felt such relief when someone that knew what to do was finally there...

* * *

Kelly sighed and moved as her nice and long dream was starting to fade away. She didn't want to wake up. It felt so nice and warm and soft. Almost as if she was home again...

The thought made her sob quietly. She missed her mom and dad. She wondered if they missed her too or if they had forgotten her... It felt such a long time when that bad man had taken her from her home and when she had ran away.

She cried for a while until she decided that as the daughter of a marine, she could not be a crybaby. Finally opening her eyes, she sat up. Stunned by where she was. It had to be a room straight out of a fairytale. And it was huge. It had to be the room of a princess. Or a prince, she thought when she noticed the person sleeping on the chair next to the bed. Her savior. He really did look like a prince from her fairytale books.

She smiled when she remembered how he had come to her rescue. She was her daddy's little girl and she knew she could trust on her gut feeling. Trust this person.

Crawling closer to the sleeping boy, she wondered why he was sleeping on the chair. The bed was big enough for them both. It was big enough for them both _and_ her mom and dad. She also noticed that she was wearing big T-shirt and shorts and how she was feeling warmer than she had felt for a long time now.

"Kelly?" Tony spoke suddenly. Blinking his sleepy eyes open.

"You're finally awake..." He smiled tiredly and looked relieved.

Kelly frowned and nods. "Of course I am awake. Did I sleep long time?"

"_Very_ long time..." Tony sighed and leaned closer.

"You slept two nights. I got worried, even though the doctor said you would be fine..."

Loud sound broke the serious moment and Tony grinned. "Seems like you could use some food..."

Kelly blushed and nods. "Yes please..."

Tony hesitated for a moment, but reached out her arms towards her then and much to his surprise, she didn't take a hold of them, but wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled closer.

He wrapped his arms around her and stood up. "You really do trust me too easily..."

"You feel safe... You feel..."

"I feel..?"

"You feel the same like my daddy does..."

"Oh..." Tony blinked. Unsure how to take that as. Had he just been made to take up the role of a surrogate father for a girl he didn't even know yet? D*mn it... He was way too young to be a father figure, he laughed in his mind. He was barely seventeen and nowhere near ready to be even thinking about starting a family of his own.

"Well, I can be your temporary older brother until we find your dad, okay?"

"Okay."

Walking through the silent house, Tony felt relieved that the partying was over for some hours at least...

Kelly leaned her head against the strong shoulder and stared at the rooms they were walking through. It had to be a castle where they were... She had never seen a place this big...

"Teresa." Tony spoke the moment he stepped in the warm kitchen. Elderly woman working there turned around and smiled as she saw him.

"_Antonio... You are up early. Who is this young lady_?" She spoke in Spanish.

Tony put Kelly down on the chair behind the kitchen table and listened with wide eyes as Tony and this friendly looking woman spoke in language she didn't understand.

"_I found her on the street... Couldn't leave her there... She would have freezed to death..._"

"_Poor thing..._" Teresa sighed.

"_I was wondering if you could make us something to eat? Or for her really... I'm going to try and look for her parents or anyone who knows her after we've eaten..._"

"_But of course, dear child..._" Teresa nods and starts pulling things out from the fridge.

"_Teresa... Just don't forget we're only two people. One of us being just a child. Who might not be used to eating too much right now..._" Tony tried to say, but that only made the woman get even more exited. They were going to be fed until they both threw up...

Shaking his head, he turned to Kelly and smiled. "Teresa is nice lady. She doesn't speak a word in english, but she will understand what you say. I will go make few phone calls. Don't leave the kitchen while I'm gone, okay..?"

Kelly nods and at the same time wondering why she couldn't leave the kitchen. It had to be because the house was so big. He was afraid she was going to get lost. That's what it was.

Nodding to herself, she turned to stare at the woman when Tony left the room. She frowned when the woman started speaking to her nonstop. She didn't seem to mind that she didn't understand anything...

* * *

While sneaking back towards his room, Tony stopped suddenly. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath. Oh s*it...

"Junior? Where were you last night?" Anthony DiNozzo senior spoke. He was standing at his bedroom's door. Looking as if he'd partied hard last night, which he had.

"Father..." Tony spoke and turned around to face his father who was obviously still little under the influence of alcohol which he so loved. More than his own son. Come to think of it... The man loved everything else more than his own son...

"People kept asking me about you. Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was?" Senior was starting to get only angrier and angrier. Stepping closer to his son, his face was starting to take slightly red tone.

"Answer me!"

"I went for a walk." Tony answered. Without moving or flinching at the yelling. Although he felt tempted to wipe off the spit from his face which flew as the old man yelled at him.

"A WALK!" Senior screamed and Tony hoped it wouldn't be heard in the kitchen. They were far enough, right?

"Yes father. A walk. I needed some fresh air. It happens when I'm around you and your friends during your drinking parties. The smell is horrible." He knew he was pretty much asking for it and so the punch on the face didn't come as a surprise. Only because he was prepared, he didn't fall down.

"I'LL TEACH YOU SOME RESPECT, YOU LITTLE SH-!"

"Anthony?" Woman's voice spoke from the bedroom. Hesitating and maybe it was even slightly fearful.

Senior stopped saying whatever he had been about to say. Pointing at his son, he hissed. "I'll deal with you later!"

Tony took a deep breath. Not having realized he had been holding it back. It was rare thing to happen, but for a chance he was grateful for his father's random girlfriends. It had saved him from more yelling and from getting another black eye. And it kept him from saying something that would have made the man even angrier.

"D*mn... I hope I don't scare Kelly with this..." He muttered. Touching tenderly his face around the eye. He didn't need a mirror to know he'd be having one lovely black eye soon.

Wondering why he didn't take his phone with him in the first place, he hurried to his room.'

* * *

"_Oh Antonio... Antonio, Antonio..._" Teresa spoke the moment she saw her young master stepping in the kitchen. She could already see the beginning of a black eye.

"_What happened this time? And don't lie to me. No 'I fell down the stairs' or 'I walked on the door'. I'm not stupid. So tell me the truth. Was it your father again_?"

Tony grinned sheepishly. "_I slipped on the empty bottles on the floor which they have left there. It's such a mess there. Maria is going to have a heart attack._"

"_Antonio..._" Teresa narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her waist area.

Ignoring her, Tony sat down behind the table and smiled. "Was the food good?"

Kelly nods. Staring at Tony with wide eyes. "You're hurt..."

"This?" Tony gingerly touches his eye and barely stops himself from flinching as it did hurt. Didn't matter how much he was used to it.

"It's nothing. I got into a fist fight with the door. You would not believe how often it happens. I'm pretty clumsy for a big boy like me."

Kelly narrowed her eyes. She had heard something like that before from a friend at school. Later it had turned out her friend's dad hit him and he was taken away from his parents. She never saw that friend again.

Tony tilts his head slightly at the way the kid was staring at him. He felt uncomfortable by it. He didn't like being stared at.

"Are you done eating?" He asks and Kelly nods. Without any further word exchange, she held out her arms and Tony felt his heart swell at it.

Swallowing down the lump forming in his throat and blinking away the sudden tears forming in his eyes, he stood up and lifted her up in his arms. "Let's get going then. A friend of mine promised to help us find your family..."

Kelly smiled and once again Tony was taken aback by the trust she had towards him. He was afraid to even think if instead of him she could have ended up with some bad guy...

"_Antonio! Where do you think you're going! You have not eaten your breakfast yet!_" Teresa raised her voice suddenly.

"_I'm sorry Teresa. Don't have time._" Tony shrugs and takes couple of pastries with him, giving the other one to Kelly.

"_That boy..._" Teresa shook his head as Tony had left before she could force him to sit down.

"_Takes care of everybody else, but not himself..._"

* * *

After dressing up Kelly warmly, in his own old clothes, Tony was going to take her out the same way they had come inside, but walking towards his bedroom's door, he heard the so familiar steps of his father walking towards the room.

Frozen in fear for a moment, Tony was in hurry to get not only him, but Kelly out of there. It was one thing when senior treated him however he pleased, but he didn't want the child to even witness such scene, let alone be the one getting hurt.

"Hey Kelly... Let's play a game..." He whispered and Kelly could sense that something was very wrong.

"A game?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah... A game where you are very quiet and hold me as tightly as you can. No matter what. Can you do that..?"

Kelly stares at him and seeing how serious he was, she started to feel distressed. She nods.

"Good girl..." Tony hurried to open his room's window. He was used to sneaking out that way, but this time he had someone else with him. Third floor wasn't really that high for him alone, but for the two of them... There was no time. He could hear the footsteps stopping at his door. Taking Kelly in his arms, he was glad she understood to even wrap her feet around him.

"As tightly as you can Kelly... And don't look down..." He whispered and then rushed to the window.

* * *

He could not believe he had done it. He had basically stolen his father's car. Sure, he saw it more as 'borrowing it', but senior would not care about any reasons he would give... He was so seriously screwed...

Looking at the passenger seat, he frowned slightly at the silent girl. She hadn't spoken a word after they had left his room. That was couple of hours ago now. "Kelly..."

Kelly just stared outside the window. She was barely big enough to be able to see outside.

Tony let out frustrated breath. "Kelly... Talk to me, kid... Please..."

"Why did we have to run?" Kelly turns to look at him, finally.

"Is... Did your dad hurt you..?"

Tony frowned. He had no idea what to say.

"It's okay... I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to..."

Tony smiled. How could she be worried about him after the obvious hardships which she had been going through? "It's fine... Not really a secret... It's more like 'a secret which everyone knows about'."

"Oh?"

"Yes. My father got angry and hit me. I wasn't being very good boy either so he had the right to hurt me."

"My dad and mom never hurt me... Even when I am being really bad girl..."

Tony didn't know what to say. Honestly, it wasn't like he had anything to compare to.

Rest of the car drive went silently. Neither spoke more than few words. On the way they stopped couple of times to get some food and to use a bathroom.

It was only after they were almost at their destination that Kelly spoke again. "I don't like your dad."

Tony's mouth twisted into smile. "I don't like him either. Don't worry. As long as it's up to me, you don't have to see him ever again."

Kelly looked thoughtful. "But what about you?"

The smile vanished on Tony's face. "He's my father."

He didn't say more and Kelly understood it was a '_I don't want to talk about it_' thing. It made her feel sad.

Tony stopped the car in front of a police station. He was glad to have a friend who was a cop. Although their friendship had started when the man had arrested him years ago, after running away from home and trying out drugs with his new street 'friends'. He had never done anything so stupid again... No thanks to his father, every bit of thanks to the cop who was like some long lost uncle to him... Older brother... Almost like a father, had he not been too young for that...

"Alright Kelly... We are going to meet my very good friend... We will find your parents... I promise you..."

_**End of Part 1.  
**_


	3. Part 2

**Part two! Hope you've liked this so far.**

_**Leo**_

* * *

- **PART 2 -**

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was angry man. No. Angry was understatement of the year. He was pissed off and heart broken. Two weeks. _Two weeks_ since his baby girl had been kidnapped by the man wanting revenge. Two weeks of living hell.

They had tracked down the bastard and it had taken his agents to hold him back from putting a bullet right between the man's eyes. They had found the man, but his baby girl had seemingly vanished on earth.

He could hardly focus at work and he was prepared to march in Vance's office and throw his ultimatum at the man's face. To let him keep looking for Kelly or then he'd quit. That bastard... Stopping him from working on the case, giving it to someone else, who was hardly as focused as he would have been, and instead handing him other cases to work with. It was _his daughter_ that was missing!

It was hell at work and it was even worse at home where she had also Shannon who couldn't stop from crying. She had barely left Kelly's room where she had slept since the day she was taken.

Making up his mind, Gibbs stood up, startling his agents who were already treating him like something that could explode. It was the phone ringing on Gibbs's desk which would be changing everything, but Gibbs wasn't in the mood to answer it.

"Boss..."

"_You_ answer it if you care!" He barked and the agent swallowed and stood up. Answering the phone with calmness he barely could keep. As Gibbs was half way on the stairs towards the director's office, the agent yelled after him.

"Boss!"

"I don't want to hear it!" Gibbs yelled and kept moving.

"It's... It's... Boss... Kelly..." The agent swallowed again and the other agents tried to become as small as they could when Gibbs turned around. Looking ready to murder someone.

"Kelly..?" Gibbs stared and then slowly walked back.

"She... Is she..? Did they..?"

"She's... alive I think..."

"Give that to me!" Gibbs barked. Annoyed by the agents he had to be working with. Taking the phone he felt afraid. What would he hear..?

"Gibbs."

"_Leroy Jethro Gibbs?_"

"Just Gibbs. Now speak."

"_Wow... She wasn't kidding... You really are grumpy old bear..._"

"What the h*ll is this? Prank call? I swear, if that's what this is, I will hunt down your ass and then I'll-"

"_Look. Gibbs. I have your daughter._"

Gibbs's eyes widened. "What?"

"_I have your daughter. Kelly, right?_"

"Kelly... Is she... Is she alright? I swear, you bastard, if you've hurt her, I'll kill you!"

"._..uh... I think there's been a misunderstanding... I'm not... Never mind. We can clear that up later. It's going to take some time for us to get there, but I'll bring her home._"

"Let me-" Gibbs started, only to realize he had been cut off. D*mn it! No one did that to _him_!

"...talk to her. I'll kill him!" He hissed and threw the phone down. Director completely forgotten, he walked to the elevator. He was going home. He hoped the call really was the real deal and not someone playing some cruel joke on him...

* * *

Shannon was sitting, curled up, on the couch in the living room. She was hugging a huge teddy bear and watched silently as her husband kept pacing around the room. "Jethro... What's wrong..?"

Gibbs shook his head and kept glancing towards the clock on the wall. He couldn't possibly tell anything to Shannon. Not when this could be false hope. It was enough that _he_ was ready to lose his mind.

He glanced towards the clock again. It had been hours since the phone call... And he was losing his hope and instead he felt anger raising again. How _dare_ that nameless person do this to him!

He was so deep in his thoughts that he barely heard a car driving in front of their house. It was only after Shannon moved to look towards the front door, that he snapped out of his murderous thoughts.

"Wait here..." He spoke and walking silently to the door, he opened it. There was some fancy looking car and while he was staring, the doors were opened.

"Daddy!" Kelly cried out the moment she stepped outside and saw her father.

Gibbs felt suddenly weak on his knees and he dropped down on them, holding out his arms where his little girl ran into.

"Kelly... My God... Oh my God... Kelly..." He sobbed and it didn't take long after that for Shannon to come out, _scream_, and join the family group hug.

"Mom... Dad... I was so afraid..." Kelly sobs. She had been brave girl and hadn't cried too much while she was alone and lost from her family, but now that she was back in those loving arms, she couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

It took a long time for any of the three of them to recover and Gibbs was first to finally look at the other person there. The young man standing next to the car, with his hands deep in his pockets and looking awkward. Only Gibbs didn't really see him. He simply saw young male and suddenly he saw red. Standing up he walked to the young man.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" He yelled and punched him on the face as hard as he could. There was heard sickening sound of nose breaking and then the man fell down.

"Daddy! No!" Kelly screamed and rushed towards her fallen hero.

"Tony! Tony, are you dead?! Daddy, you killed my friend!"

Gibbs stood there. In shock and stared. Only then did he really saw the man, who could barely even be called that. He had hit some kid with his full marine strength...

"I'm... I'm fine.. Kelly..." Tony spoke finally. Looking around confused. Sitting up, he nearly fell back down as he felt dizzy and for some reason he couldn't breath through his nose.

"You... You sound funny..." Kelly sobbed. She had wanted to laugh, but instead she found herself crying.

"Kelly... Who is he..?" Shannon finally spoke. Pulling her bathrobe tighter around herself as she walked closer.

"This is Tony. Tony saved me." Kelly sobbed and watched in horror at the blood that only kept on coming from Tony's nose.

"Oh... _Oh_... I'm... Thank you..." Shannon whispered, but Tony only kept looking around himself confused.

"Oh dear... Jethro... We need to get him in the hospital... I think you broke the poor boy's nose... Maybe he even hit his head..?"

Gibbs swallowed and felt horribly guilty. "Right... I'll... I'll take him... You stay home with Kelly..."

"No! I will come too!" Kelly protested and wrapped her arms tightly around Tony's arm.

"Jethro... We do need to get her checked as well... We will all go..."

Gibbs sighed and nods then. Helping Tony up on his feet, he started taking him towards his car.

"'m fine..." Tony muttered and tried standing back, but any fighting was useless when the man was former marine.

* * *

"...and, and, and then we went to see a movie. Then me and Tony took pictures of each other and he even let me take his and he didn't mind that I wasn't very good at it and, and... And then we went shopping for some clothes. I did like the other ones, but they were _his_ old clothes and he's a boy and I'm a girl so it was weird wearing boy's clothes... and then..."

Shannon smiled and listened to Kelly rambling while she was being looked over by her doctor, who was also smiling at the chatty girl.

Gibbs stood by the windows and stared outside. There was frown on his face which had been there for a while now.

"Jethro..?" Shannon spoke softly as she walked next to him.

"I hurt him, Shannon... That kid found our girl, saved her when no one else gave a d*mn... It could have been anyone Shannon... What if someone else had found her..? Someone who would've hurt her..? He's just a kid himself, yet he did all that to find us and bring her back home... Unharmed... And if what Kelly said is true... I possibly hurt someone who's been abused by his own father..."

Shannon didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged. "Go find him then..."

Gibbs sighs. "You heard him... Said he didn't want any company..."

Shannon chuckled. "Since when do you care what other people say to you?"

Gibbs was silent for a while. "Hey. I do care what people say..."

"Really?"

"Sometimes."

* * *

Looking around if anyone saw him, Gibbs opened the door to the room where he knew the kid was. Stepping inside, he was for a moment alarmed by the ugly colors on the boy's face. Had he given that black eye too..? Besides the, now nicely fixed, broken nose... D*mn he felt guilty...

"I told I don't want company..." Tony mumbled from the bed and opened slowly his eyes. Revealing the green eyes, which Gibbs noticed for the first time and somehow he felt his heart break at the hurt he saw in them. Hurt that went so much deeper than just _him_ hurting him.

"Well... I've been told that I can be real bastard..."

"No kidding?"

Gibbs sighed. Normally he wouldn't take kindly such sarcasm, but he knew he deserved it. Ignoring the angry look, he took the chair and sat next to the bed.

"Thank you." He finally said it. To his surprise, Tony looked away.

"Don't have to thank me... Couldn't just leave her there..."

Gibbs frowned. Thinking that the kid was hiding tears, he leaned closer and turned the face back towards him. Instead of tears, he saw red face. _Embarrassment_?

"Thank you." He said again and didn't let Tony look away this time.

"If it hadn't been you... My little girl could be... She could be... Thank you..."

"Gibbs... I don't need-"

"Thank you."

"Stop it."

"Thank you."

"D*mn it!" Tony yelled and pulled the blanket over his face. Gibbs smirked. He couldn't help it.

"Thank you."

Tony pulled the blanket down and sat up. "Nurse!"

By the time a nurse peeked inside the room, Gibbs was chuckling. "Something wrong, young man?"

"Yes! Get this man out of here! He's annoying me!"

Gibbs actually laughed at it. The nurse studied the situation and seeing no real threat in there towards the patient, she shook her head.

"Get some rest." And she left.

"Hey! You're not supposed to let strangers in my room! _Hey_!"

Gibbs smirked and ruffles the unruly brown hair. "Guess you're stuck with me now, eh kid?"

Tony mumbled something and didn't resist when he was pushed back on bed. He really wished for that another round of happy drugs to come already. As much as he hated hospitals and being drugged, he was much rather loopy than be dealing with any of this.

"Go home..." He muttered.

"Kelly really missed you..."

The smile on Gibbs's face disappeared and he stood up. For a moment he stared at the fake sleeping kid on the bed. He felt the strange urge to brush that little bit too long hair off the kid's face, but he held himself back.

"Sleep well, Tony..."

* * *

He looked to his left and then right. Seeing no one, he skipped through the hall. It was early and still bit dark in the morning and he had to act fast if he wanted to get back to his, _senior's_, car and get back home. The longer he stayed away, the bigger trouble it was that was waiting for him.

Since he had no idea where his clothes were or any of his things like keys and money, he walked through the cold city, freezing in his hospital 'outfit'.

By the time he finally made it to the Gibbs's house, he could swear that the tips of his fingers and toes had slight blue coloring.

He couldn't believe his luck when he tried the front door of the house and it was open. Stepping quietly inside, he said quiet thank you, when he saw his clothes and all the things neatly, not far from the door.

"Finally something goes right..." He whispered to himself and picked them up. As he had turned around to leave, strong hand suddenly landed on his shoulder and he could barely hold back a scream. Twisting around, he tried getting free. In complete panic mode he didn't even see who it was.

"Calm down..!" The voice hissed next to his ear and he didn't even know why, but he stopped struggling. Blinking as he saw Gibbs standing there.

"We don't want to wake up the girls, do we..?" The man smiled for a bit and Tony furrowed his brows.

"You're not angry..?"

"Angry? Why? The door wasn't locked and you only came to take back what's yours anyway."

Tony stared at him and then suddenly it hit him. "You... _knew_ I would come..?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Gut feeling."

"Gut... I see where Kelly gets it..."

Making sure to lock the door, Gibbs lets go of him for a moment, before touching Tony's hands and face.

"You're freezing cold..." He swore.

"Did you really walk through the city, dressed like that..?"

Tony shrugs. Unsure what he was supposed to say. It was true, but for some reason he felt like admitting it would have been wrong move and denying it even worse. So he opted staying quiet.

"Come... You need a hot shower and then put on those d*mn clothes..."

Tony hesitated but followed slowly then. He watched quietly as the silver haired man prepared everything for him in there and then left him alone. As if sensing the raising panic in him.

Once he had made sure to lock the door, Tony disappeared under the hot shower. Almost letting out a loud yelp at how painful it at first felt against his ice cold skin.

It reminded him of those moments of horror when he thought he had lost Kelly. Her freezing cold skin and how he, with the doctor's help, tried to warm her up and then those hours of worry when she didn't wake up...

Closing his eyes with a sigh, he finally relaxed.

He had become too comfortable having Kelly around him and in such short period of time too... He had been stupid... He knew this wasn't gonna last... He would go back home and never see her again... He couldn't allow himself that... He was already walking down that dangerous road with his father's worsening moods...

He shivered at the very thought of returning home with senior's beloved car...

* * *

They sat behind the kitchen table. Gibbs with his coffee and Tony staring at his steaming hot tea. Both secretly glancing at each other when the other wasn't looking.

Tony found himself admiring the man. Marine, Kelly had told him, and now some kind of agent. Not FBI, Kelly had sharply said when he had asked about it. The man was obviously good and loving father. Not that he really knew what kind of father was good.

Gibbs stared at the kid who after the shower looked so much younger that he would never have believed him to be seventeen years old. After the hot shower, his face had temporary blush and his hair was sticking at every odd angle. Wrapped in the huge blanket which he had forced Tony to hold around himself, made him look so small. Despite the figure which had to belong to someone that was obviously playing football. Besides, he'd seen it on the files which he had made his agents dig out for him.

What little he found out on those pieces of papers, Gibbs didn't like. The boy's mother had died years ago and it had been only Tony and his father. The man who had written his only son out of his will, yet he seemed to be in control of every aspect of his life almost. Then there were all those countless injuries and hospital visits, with no real explanation.

"When's your birthday?" He suddenly asked. Knowing it full well, but wanting to let Tony say it himself.

Tony looked up. "Next year."

"You'll be eighteen then."

"I guess..."

"You need a place to stay?"

Tony frowned. "I've got a place to stay already..."

Gibbs was silent for a while. Thinking back to the conversation he had had with Shannon and Kelly. There was no way he could ever show how grateful he was for getting his girl back. Sure, little malnourished, but still as healthy as she can be considering the situation.

"Kelly really likes you." He kept talking.

"And Shannon, my wife, really is acting like such a mother hen when it comes to you..."

"I'm lost..." Tony admits finally.

"We would like for you to come and live with us." Gibbs finally spoke. And it was the truth. They really wanted it. Or rather, Kelly and Shannon wanted it and he pretended to be reluctant about it. However it took a call to a cop friend of his, who surprisingly knew Tony, that he knew they were doing the right thing.

Tony stared at him and then suddenly his eyes went cold. "No."

Gibbs was startled. He had expected things to not be that easy, but simple and so final '_no_' was not what he had been expecting either.

"Tony..."

"I don't need your pity."

"Pity?"

"Oh, don't think I'm a fool. I'm not stupid, Gibbs. I saw those files of me you tried to hide. I know what Kelly must have told you about me. I don't need your charity. I helped your daughter because it was the right thing to do. I don't need anything in return."

He stood up and let the blanket fall on the floor. "I'm going home. Thanks for the shower and tea."

"D*mn it... It's not a charity! _Sit down_." Gibbs spoke. Almost forgetting to keep his voice down, to not wake up his girls.

"Then what else do you call it?" Tony snapped.

"It's because we want to do it..."

Tony looked so tired suddenly. "Thank you... Really... Thank you..."

Gibbs relaxes for a bit. Too soon.

"But no... You people don't know me. I could be anyone. Doesn't matter what files you've read about me... They're just a pieces of paper..."

"My gut-"

"I know all about your gut. Kelly told me. Which reminds me... Gut feeling or not... Tell her not to trust strangers so easily..."

Gibbs suddenly felt fear in his gut. He realized that nothing was going to stop Tony from leaving. For some reason he, just like his girls, had felt something special towards the kid form the moment they had met. Well, apart from the punch on the face obviously. He knew in his gut that if he'd let the kid go, he'd let him walk right into possible danger.

"Tony..." He found himself pleading, surprising both him and Tony.

"Gibbs... I'm grateful..." Tony smiled softly.

"It's good to know that somewhere out there, someone actually gives a d*mn. It's more than I could have ever asked for. Thank you. Take care of Kelly."

Gibbs stood there helplessly and watched as the young man walked away from their lives. It was only later that he wondered how had Tony opened the door with no key and without breaking the door...

Hearing the car drive away, Gibbs sighed and brushed his hand over his hair. How was he supposed to explain this to Kelly, who had undying trust that her daddy could make anything happen..?

_**End of Part 2.  
**_


	4. Part 3

**This is the last part and last story which I've separated from the other first Once Upon A Time: Anthony D. DiNozzo stories... Let me know if you liked this.**

_**Leo**_

* * *

**- PART 3 -**

Few years had gone by and they had seemingly forgotten Kelly's savior.

Kelly was starting to turn into a young woman by now. In her room, on the wall, there was bigger than life picture of Tony. The one which she took back then.

With her father being the former marine and now this badass NCIS agent and her savior 'brother' Tony, her ideal future husband was beyond unrealistic. Much to the happiness of her father. As it meant less boyfriends for him to scare off.

She had been angry and upset when she found out that Tony was gone. Both at her father and Tony.

They had tried keeping track of their new friend, but after couple of weeks, all traces of him seemed to disappear. As if the boy never existed. There didn't seem to be any crime involved either. Even though, out of nowhere, DiNozzo senior had moved to Italy.

It was phone call from Fornell, early one morning, which gave Gibbs new hope.

"Gibbs."

"_I think I found your boy._"

"Ya _think_?"

"_Fine. I found your boy._"

"Where is he? Is he... Is he alright..?"

"_He's alive and... Well, he's in Bethesda actually._"

Gibbs froze. "Bethesda?"

"_He just came back home._"

"Fornell..."

"_He's a marine. And d*mn good one too by the looks of it. You'd be proud of him._"

The men were silent for a while.

"_He wants to meet you, Jethro. You and your girls._"

* * *

The family of three rushed towards the room where they knew their long lost friend was. They were all feeling nervous, excited and anxious for what was waiting for them behind that door.

Getting closer, they saw the door was open and they heard laughter coming from the room.

"Hah! You sure he didn't shoot you just so you would shut up?"

"Heyyy... I'm insulted! That is exactly what happened!"

The room was full of laughter again.

Tony was laying on the bed. Looking rather pale, but he was smiling. The room was full of some marine friends of his.

The laughter stopped when everyone noticed Tony had gotten serious. Looking at the door, they saw the three people standing there.

"Guys... Let's talk some more next time, okay?"

They left with quick '_get well soon_' wishes. Leaving Tony alone with _them_.

Shannon closed the door to give them some privacy, while Gibbs studied the young man, who hadn't really changed a whole lot. Only now there was haunted look in those green eyes of his. One look in them and he knew it had been a mistake to not have forced the kid to stay with them.

Kelly ran to the bed and carefully wrapping her arms around Tony's neck, she started crying. "You left..!"

"I'm sorry..." Tony mumbled and awkwardly returned the hug. As if he had completely forgotten how to do such simple thing.

Seeing as Kelly wasn't going to let go anytime soon, he sighed and moved little bit and then patted the empty spot next to him, which Kelly happily occupied. Snuggling next to him. Tony stared at her parents, Gibbs especially. "It's been a while..."

"It... Yeah..." Gibbs nods while Shannon sits down on one of the chairs.

"You're a marine..." Gibbs said the obvious and Tony grinned.

"Hate the haircut, but they promised me it'll grow back..."

Gibbs nods and the room is filled with awkward silence.

"I heard you've done h*ll of a job, out there..."

"Just did my job."

_Still the same_... Gibbs mused. "Well, job or not. I'm proud of you, son."

Tony opens and closes his mouth like a fish on dry land for a while, before it changes into cheeky grin. "Well you better be. It's your fault I became marine in the first place."

"My fault?"

"Well yeah. During our short time together, Kelly kept going on and on about her amazing marine dad and then I met you in person and... I guess I was little impressed."

Gibbs was amused. "Impressed? That I was marine?"

"Sure, that too... And this badass agent, _not FBI_, and the kind of father I think every kid should have."

The room was filled with silence again. Even Kelly had stopped crying and she was now stroking Tony's hair repeatedly.

Gibbs walks closer and takes Tony's hand in his. Patting it awkwardly, he smiles. "Any father would be proud to have a son like you, kid."

Tony's face became dark. "Not every father. Mine beat the living breath out of me and then, thinking I'm dead, dumps me in some d*mn cold river, in the middle of the coldest winter ever."

There was flash of danger in Gibbs's eyes when he heard that. Shannon, seeing it, stands up and lays her hand over his shoulder. Calming him down enough to not go into sniper mode right there, in the hospital room.

"Well, _I'm_ d*mn proud of you."

Tony smiles tiredly. "I...had to see you guys... When I was out there... My two best friends died. The other while protecting my sorry ass. They made me promise to see you. _I_ made myself promise that to me."

"Took you d*mn long time..." Gibbs muttered.

"Sorry..."

"This time... You will come home... With us. Got it?"

There was cheeky smile on Tony's face and he rolled his eyes. "Got it _boss_..."

**_The End._**


End file.
